The current environmental challenges that most middle-and low-income countries have been experiencing has led to new environmentally sustainable and economically viable sanitation solutions, such as waterless systems with source separation of human waste. We conducted a cross-sectional study in eThekwini municipality to explore the post-implementation challenges of urine diversion dehydration toilets (UDDTs) after a decade of installation and the adaptive processes necessary to increase the sustained use of the toilets. A structured questionnaire was administered to 17 499 households in 65 rural and per-urban areas of eThekwini using mobile phone technology. Results report low levels of satisfaction with the facilities as well as an association between perceived smell in the toilets and malfunctioning of the pedestal, and low use of UDDTs when a pit latrine is present in the dwelling perimeter. Conclusions relate to the importance of educational and promotional activities that stress the economic return derived from reusing urine and excreta in agricultural activities.
An increasing focus on academics in after-school programs overlooks the substantial potential for such spaces to support populations of students who are also most likely to disengage from traditional schooling, including low-income students of color. This misplaced focus further ignores significant disparities in the types of services offered after-school. For wealthier students, after-school programs often serve as enrichment experiences in preparation for college and career, not as extended forms of child care or schooling. All students deserve access to after-school spaces that support individual interest and identity development and link them to the social resources that can promote upward mobility. Given their non-academic benefits, we recommend that policy makers and researchers reframe their understanding of after-school programs to support more equitable outcomes for marginalized youth.
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